31 USC 6103 - Access to computer information system

Collapse to view only § 6103. Access to computer information system

§ 6101. Definitions
§ 6102. Program information requirements
§ 6102a. Assistance awards information system
§ 6103. Access to computer information system
§ 6104. Catalog of Federal domestic assistance programs
§ 6105. Oversight responsibility of Director
§ 6106. Authorization of appropriations

§ 6101. DefinitionsIn this chapter—

(1) “administering office” means the lowest unit of an agency responsible for managing a domestic assistance program.

(2) “agency” has the same meaning given that term in section 551(1) of title 5.

(3) “assistance”—

(A) means the transfer of anything of value for a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States, including—

(i) financial assistance;

(ii) United States Government facilities, services, and property; and

(iii) expert and technical information; and

(B) does not include conventional public information services or procurement of property or services for the direct benefit or use of the Government.

(4) “domestic assistance program”—

(A) means assistance from an agency for—

(i) a State;

(ii) the District of Columbia;

(iii) a territory or possession of the United States;

(iv) a county;

(v) a city;

(vi) a political subdivision or instrumentality of a governmental authority listed in subclauses (i)–(v) of this clause (A);

(vii) a domestic corporation;

(viii) a domestic institution; and

(ix) an individual of the United States; and

(B) does not include assistance from an agency for an agency.

(5) “Director” means the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

(6) “Administrator” means the Administrator of General Services.

(7) “formula” means any prescribed method employing objective data or statistical estimates for making individual determinations among recipients of Federal funds, either in terms of eligibility or actual funding allocations, that can be written in the form of either—

(A) a closed mathematical statement; or

(B) an iterative procedure or algorithm which can be written as a computer program;

and from which the results can be objectively replicated, within reasonable limits due to rounding error, through independent application of such statement, procedures, or algorithm, by different qualified individuals.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1000; Pub. L. 98–169, §§ 1(1), 3(a), Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1113; Pub. L. 99–547, § 2(b)(2), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3060; Pub. L. 103–272, § 4(f)(1)(S), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1362; Pub. L. 104–287, § 6(a)(1), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3398.)

§ 6102. Program information requirements

(a) The Director shall collect and review information on domestic assistance programs and shall provide such information to the Administrator. The information on each domestic assistance program shall include the following:

(1) identification of the program by—

(A) title;

(B) authorizing law;

(D) an identifying number assigned by the Director.

(2) a description of the—

(A) program;

(B) objectives of the program;

(D) eligibility requirements;

(E) types of assistance;

(F) uses, and restrictions on the use, of assistance;

(G) uses of core-based statistical area (as defined in section 4 of the MAPS Act of 2021) delineations (as chosen from standardized categories of uses determined by the Director), for purposes including prime recipient and subrecipient eligibility for, and distribution of, any Federal service, benefit, or funding; and

(H) duties of recipients under the program.

(3) a specification of each formula governing eligibility for assistance or the distribution of assistance under the program, which shall be described through the use of—

(A) the language used to specify each such formula in the law authorizing the program;

(B) the language used to specify each such formula in any Federal rule promulgated pursuant to the law authorizing the program; or

(C) a mathematical statement which is derived from the language referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph;

(4) a description of all data and statistical estimates used to carry out each formula specified pursuant to paragraph (3), and an identification of the sources of such data and estimates;

(5) financial information, including the—

(A) amounts appropriated for the current fiscal year or, if unavailable, the amounts requested by the President and the amounts obligated; and

(B) average amounts of awards made in past years.

(6) identification of information contacts, including the administering office and regional and local offices with their addresses and telephone numbers.

(7) a general description of—

(A) the application requirements and procedures; and

(B) to the extent practical, an estimate of the time required to process the application.

(b) On request of the Director, an agency shall give to the Director current information on all domestic assistance programs administered by the agency. The Director shall be responsible for ensuring that the Administrator incorporates all relevant information received on a regular basis.

(1) shall ensure that information and catalogs under this chapter are made available to the public at reasonable prices;

(2) may develop information services to assist State and local governments in identifying and obtaining sources of assistance;

(3) shall ensure that the information in the computerized system is made current on a regular basis and that the printed catalog and supplements thereto contain the most current data available at the time of printing; and

(4) shall transmit annually the information compiled under paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (a) to the Committee on Government Operations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Governmental Affairs of the Senate.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1001; Pub. L. 98–169, §§ 1(2), 2, 3(b), (c), Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1113, 1114; Pub. L. 117–219, § 6(a), Dec. 5, 2022, 136 Stat. 2273.)

§ 6102a. Assistance awards information system

(a) The Director shall—

(1) maintain the United States Government assistance awards information system established as a result of the study conducted under section 9 of the Federal Program Information Act; and

(2) update the system on a quarterly basis.

(b) To carry out subsection (a) of this section, the Director—

(1) may delegate the responsibility for carrying out subsection (a) of this section to the head of another executive agency;

(2) shall review a report the head of an agency submits to the Director on the method of carrying out subsection (a) of this section; and

(3) may validate, by appropriate means, the method by which an agency prepares the report.

(c) The Director shall transmit promptly after the end of each calendar quarter, free of charge, the data in the system required by subsection (a) to the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate and to the Committee on House Oversight of the House of Representatives.

(Added Pub. L. 97–452, § 1(23)(A), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2477; amended Pub. L. 98–169, § 1(2), Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1113; Pub. L. 99–547, § 2(b)(1), Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3060; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, § 219(b)(2), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1748.)

§ 6103. Access to computer information system

(a) The Administrator shall maintain a computerized information system providing access to—

(1) the information described in paragraphs (1), (2), (5), (6), and (7) of section 6102(a) of this title; and

(2) such portions or summaries, as the Administrator considers appropriate, of the information described in paragraphs (3) and (4) of such section.

(b) To the greatest extent practicable, the Administrator shall provide for the widespread availability of the information by available computer terminals.

(c) When the Administrator decides the efficiency of the information system under subsection (a) of this section requires it, the Administrator may make contracts with private organizations to obtain computer time-sharing services, including—

(1) computer telecommunications networks;

(2) computer software; and

(3) associated services.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1002; Pub. L. 98–169, §§ 1(2), 3(d), 4, Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1113, 1114.)

§ 6104. Catalog of Federal domestic assistance programs

(a) The Administrator shall prepare and publish each year a catalog of domestic assistance programs.

(b) In a form selected by the Administrator, the catalog shall contain—

(1)

(A) all substantive information on domestic assistance programs that, at the time the catalog is prepared, is in the system under paragraphs (1), (2), (5), (6), and (7) of section 6102(a) of this title; and

(B) such portions or summaries, as the Administrator considers appropriate, of the information on domestic assistance programs that, at the time the catalog is prepared, is in the system under paragraphs (3) and (4) of section 6102(a) of this title;

(2) information the Administrator decides may be helpful to a potential applicant for or beneficiary of assistance; and

(3) a detailed index.

(1) supplements to the catalog; and

(2) specialized compilations by function of information in the catalog.

(d) The Administrator may distribute a catalog without cost to each—

(1) member of Congress;

(2) department, agency, and instrumentality of the United States Government;

(3) State;

(4) general purpose unit of a local government;

(5) Indian tribe recognized by the United States Government;

(6) depository library of Government publications; and

(7) depository designated by the Administrator.

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1002; Pub. L. 98–169, § 1(2), 3(e), 4, Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1113, 1114.)

§ 6105. Oversight responsibility of Director

The Director shall have oversight responsibility for the exercise of all authorities and responsibilities in this chapter not specifically assigned to the Director.

(Added Pub. L. 98–169, § 5, Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1115.)

§ 6106. Authorization of appropriations

After October 1, 1983, there may be appropriated to the Administrator such sums as may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities of this chapter.

(Added Pub. L. 98–169, § 5, Nov. 29, 1983, 97 Stat. 1115.)